DESCRIPTION

Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.

A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
out more than one branch at a time. With git worktree add a new working
tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a
"linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it’s not a
bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.

When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it.
The working tree’s administrative files in the repository (see
"DETAILS" below) will eventually be removed automatically (see
gc.worktreePruneExpire in git-config[1]), or you can run
git worktree prune in the main or any linked working tree to
clean up any stale administrative files.

If you move a linked working tree, you need to manually update the
administrative files so that they do not get pruned automatically. See
section "DETAILS" for more information.

If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share
which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from
being pruned by issuing the git worktree lock command, optionally
specifying --reason to explain why the working tree is locked.

COMMANDS

add <path> [<branch>]

Create <path> and checkout <branch> into it. The new working directory
is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working
directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc. - may also be
specified as <branch>; it is synonymous with @{-1}.

If <branch> is omitted and neither -b nor -B nor --detach used,
then, as a convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically,
as if -b $(basename <path>) was specified.

list

List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
(or detached HEAD if none).

lock

If a working tree is on a portable device or network share which
is not always mounted, lock it to prevent its administrative
files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock
with --reason.

prune

Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.

unlock

Unlock a working tree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.

OPTIONS

-f

--force

By default, add refuses to create a new working tree when <branch>
is already checked out by another working tree. This option overrides
that safeguard.

-b <new-branch>

-B <new-branch>

With add, create a new branch named <new-branch> starting at
<branch>, and check out <new-branch> into the new working tree.
If <branch> is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
By default, -b refuses to create a new branch if it already
exists. -B overrides this safeguard, resetting <new-branch> to
<branch>.

--detach

With add, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
in git-checkout[1].

--[no-]checkout

By default, add checks out <branch>, however, --no-checkout can
be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
in git-read-tree[1].

--lock

Keep the working tree locked after creation. This is the
equivalent of git worktree lock after git worktree add,
but without race condition.

-n

--dry-run

With prune, do not remove anything; just report what it would
remove.

--porcelain

With list, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
configuration. See below for details.

-v

--verbose

With prune, report all removals.

--expire <time>

With prune, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.

--reason <string>

With lock, an explanation why the working tree is locked.

<worktree>

Working trees can be identified by path, either relative or
absolute.

If the last path components in the working tree’s path is unique among
working trees, it can be used to identify worktrees. For example if
you only have two working trees, at "/abc/def/ghi" and "/abc/def/ggg",
then "ghi" or "def/ghi" is enough to point to the former working tree.

DETAILS

Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository’s
$GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory’s name is usually
the base name of the linked working tree’s path, possibly appended with a
number to make it unique. For example, when $GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git the
command git worktree add /path/other/test-next next creates the linked
working tree in /path/other/test-next and also creates a
$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next directory (or $GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1
if test-next is already taken).

Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
directory (e.g. /path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next in the example) and
$GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree’s $GIT_DIR
(e.g. /path/main/.git). These settings are made in a .git file located at
the top directory of the linked working tree.

Path resolution via git rev-parse --git-path uses either
$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
linked working tree git rev-parse --git-path HEAD returns
/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD (not
/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD or /path/main/.git/HEAD) while git
rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master uses
$GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns /path/main/.git/refs/heads/master,
since refs are shared across all working trees.

See gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
inside $GIT_DIR. Use git rev-parse --git-path to get the final path.

If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the gitdir file
in the entry’s directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
to /newpath/test-next and its .git file points to
/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next, then update
/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir to reference /newpath/test-next
instead.

To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
can be useful in some situations, such as when the
entry’s working tree is stored on a portable device), use the
git worktree lock command, which adds a file named
locked to the entry’s directory. The file contains the reason in
plain text. For example, if a linked working tree’s .git file points
to /path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next then a file named
/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked will prevent the
test-next entry from being pruned. See
gitrepository-layout[5] for details.

LIST OUTPUT FORMAT

The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
details on a single line with columns. For example:

Porcelain Format

The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like bare
and detached) are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
example:

EXAMPLES

You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed
files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don’t want to risk
disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to
make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
refactoring session.